Ahead of 9/11, top Trump aide says U.S. not vulnerable to terrorists

WASHINGTON — Days before the United States marks 16 years since the 9/11 attacks, one of the White House’s top counterterrorism officials on Friday played down the possibility of an extremist attack on U.S. soil.

“No terrorist should view us as vulnerable right now — farthest thing from the truth,” Bossert said at the daily press briefing.

His confident assessment came as U.S.-backed forces struck at fighters loyal to the so-called Islamic State in Raqqa, Syria, that terrorist army’s primary base. Some U.S. officials fear that, as the group suffers defeats on the battlefield, it will encourage adherents and sympathizers inside the United States to carry out attacks.

“President Trump will, as presidents before him since 9/11, receive a comprehensive picture of the terrorist threat environment and what we’re doing to counter it, from his senior officials,” Bossert said.

That’s been the practice since al-Qaida terrorists crashed hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A fourth crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa.

October 7 will mark 16 years since then President George W. Bush retaliated by attacking Afghanistan, initiating what has become the longest war in U.S. history.